Wednesday, December 19, 2012

How to prepare and roast a turkey with all the trimmings

Hi everyone, Quay Lo here. When it comes to making turkey
for the holidays Quay Po surrenders her apron to me. She takes it back again
when it comes to preparing the many other dishes we serve, especially the pies.

I’ll start with a promise. If you follow the recipes below
you will make a perfect turkey, perfect gravy, and a perfect side dish called
“dressing” not to be confused with “stuffing” which I will explain below.In my family Thanksgiving and Christmas
were crowned by the dinner at which the turkey was featured. It was highly
anticipated and with all of the various recipes for ways to use the left overs
we ate turkey for a week beyond the holidays as well. Those were my favorite
two weeks of the year. The smell of sage and roasting bird in the house is
enough to almost bring tears to my eyes (or was that the onions I’ve just
chopped?)

Let’s start with preparing the turkey. If you want a moist,
savory roast turkey, marinating the whole bird in a brine solution for several
hours before the roasting will provide the best results. Since most turkeys
come frozen in the market, we’ll start about 3 days before the big event by
placing the frozen turkey in the regular side of the refrigerator to allow it
to thaw slowly. Another solution that will make more room in the fridge is to
simply put the turkey in an ice chest, and cover with ice. This keeps big bird
safely out of the way, as long as you don’t have a very clever dog.

The TURKEY

About 16 hours before you are ready to pop the bird in the
oven, we are going to prep it with a soak in a brine solution. You will need a
large, deep soup pot with a lid or a bucket that can be covered and is
large enough for the whole bird plus the brine solution.

Remove giblets and neck from the thawed bird’s cavity. Rinse
the outside and inside of the turkey under a cold faucet. Completely submerge the
turkey in brine solution without the turkey rubbing the sides. Cover with a
lid. Marinate for 12 hours for a small turkey (8-10 lbs), 16 hours for a 12 –
16 lb. and a full 24 hours for a bigger bird. You can wrap wet towels around
the pot and keep it inside an air conditioned room as long as you replenish the
ice before you sleep. Overnight it should be fine, just pack it full with ice
before retiring and again in the morning.

Pre heat your oven to 165ᴼC (325ᴼF). Rinse
turkey inside and out thoroughly. Pat dry with paper towels. Chop some herbs,
(sage, rosemary, and thyme) and add them, and some black pepper, to a ½ cup of
butter and rub every part of the turkey. The herbs and butter will eventually
join the natural juices at the bottom of the baking pan and become the basis
for your flavorful gravy. Place a whole orange or a lemon, halved, plus four
stalks of celery halved, fresh herbs (not chopped), and 3 large carrots split
length wise and halved, inside the cavity of the bird.

Place a rack inside a large roasting pan. Place the prepared
bird on the rack, breast side up. Place a meat thermometer in the thickest part
of the breast, taking care not to touch a bone. The thermometer should read 74ᴼC
or 164ᴼ
F to be done and still moist. (It will continue to cook a bit as it rests out
of the oven and that is fine, it is in the calculation) A 12 pound turkey
should take about 3 hours or a little over to reach the desired temperature. Be
sure to monitor for surface doneness. Most often, the turkey will get a nice
golden brown on the surface but still require some baking time. If your bird
gets that lovely lacquered appearance, but still needs time, just baste it
again then lay a piece of aluminum foil, with the shiny side out, on top and
loosely formed over the bird, and let it continue until the temperature is
reached.

Remove and discard the aromatics in the cavity, place the
turkey on a platter and cover with aluminum foil (shiny side facing the bird
this time) and allow it to rest for 30 minutes before carving. Do NOT discard
the roasting pan drippings. While your bird rests, move on to make the gravy.
You are going to perform wizardry with the pan drippings.

Notes:

Most stores sell heavy gage aluminum foil roasting pans
during the holidays and they work just fine. Place the bird on a small rack set
inside the pan.

Throughout the baking process, baste the turkey every twenty
minutes or so, drawing from the juices collected in the pan. If the turkey gets
a nice golden brown but the thermometer suggests there is still more baking
time required, lay a sheet of aluminum foil, with the shiny side facing
outward, over the turkey and continue baking until done. Be sure to monitor
this closely as it can happen

We’ve had better luck with smaller birds in the 12 – 14 lb
range. Much larger turkeys tend to be more tough and sinewy. If you need more
meat,just bake a second turkey
the day before and warm up the pre-sliced meat in an oven or microwave before
serving.

THE GRAVY

24 ounces chicken broth

8 ounces red wine

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon fresh herbs such as oregano, thyme or rosemary

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

After you remove the turkey from the roasting pan and set
aside to rest, leave the drippings from the turkey in the pan and place the
roasting pan over medium heat. If you’ve used a temporary aluminum foil pan
transfer the contents into a large frying pan. Heat up the drippings, then transfer to a quart size, heat resistant measuring cup or a jar. Allow it to sit for 5 -8 minutes to allow the fat to separate and to rise to the top.

Return 2/3 cup of the fat to the roasting pan and place over
medium-high heat. Skim any remaining fat from the pan drippings liquid and save while discarding the excess fat.

With the fat heated up in the pan, add the flour and whisk
to combine into a roux. Cook, whisking continuously, until the mixture starts to thicken
and becomes smooth and brown, approximately 3 to 4 minutes. Once this happens,
gradually add the reserved liquid back to the pan and whisk until smooth.

Add 1 cup of red wine and 3 cups of chicken stock, all at once. Whisk to combine, continuing to scrape the bottom of the pan until all of the bits have come loose and
you have reached your desired consistency, approximately 5 to 6 minutes.

Season the finished gravy with salt and pepper but be sure to taste before that.

THE CORNBREAD, SAGE

ANDSAUSAGE DRESSING

There are two terms used to describe this favorite side
dish; “dressing” or “stuffing”. In general it is called stuffing if, in fact,
you cook it inside the turkey’s chest and stomach cavity along with the turkey.
The resulting combo can be delicious as the seasoning of both the bird and the
stuffing co-mingle along with the roasting juices absorbed by the stuffing.However, I don’t recommend this
approach for a couple of reasons. One is that the pan juices are not going be
as generous for gravy making because the stuffing absorbs much of it.Secondly, it takes longer for the
stuffing to reach a safe 165ᴼ. In the meantime, the turkey
itself risks becoming considerably overdone.That would be tragic in my humble opinion given all of the
effort to brine the turkey for exactly the opposite. Besides, no one wants to
try to eat a “tough old bird”. So let’s talk “dressing” which is named that
simply because it is specifically designed to accompany and complement the
turkey, carrying it savory notes into a carbohydrate side dish. (Not that we
need one as typically there will be mashed potatoes, roasted sweet potatoes,
and hot dinner rolls also served. I once heard it said that Thanksgiving and
Christmas were holidays invented so that Americans could eat four or five kinds
of starchy dishes at one meal.

So while I would concede that the following recipe may be
easily sacrificed by families here in Asia, I must also stipulate that if I am
cooking, I will make it every time. The fact is that two days later, when half
a pan of dressing is in the fridge and you need something right then, the
dressing will taste like it has transformed into something far more exquisite
than you imagined.

Ingredients

3 cups cubed dry bread

3 cups cubed or crumbled cornbread

1 cup chopped onion

1cup chopped
celery

¼ cup finely chopped fresh sage leaves

6tablespoons
melted butter

500g pork sausage, crumbled

2 1/2 cups chicken broth

2eggs, beaten

1 tablespoon each dried sage and poultry seasoning

½teaspoon
seasoned salt

Note: Serves 8, double recipe if you are feeding more people
and if you want some generous leftovers. Hint: You DO!

PREHEAT oven to 375°F (190ᴼC).Directions:

Grease with butter or olive oil, a 13x9x2-inch baking pan.

COMBINE bread and cornbread in large bowl, set aside.

COOK onion, celery, and 2 tablespoons butter in a large
skillet over medium heat until onion is softened. Add crumbled sausage;
continue cooking, stirring frequently, until sausage is half done.

STIR sausage mixture into cornbread and bread bread cubes.

Stir in remaining ingredients; mix well.

BAKE 40 to 45 minutes until lightly browned.

If there is still some time to go to finish the baking and
the top is already golden brown, just lay a piece of aluminum foil over the pan
with the reflective side out.

Note: Sausage is a matter
of taste and tradition. We’ve tried making our own by chopping a pound of pork
shoulder and adding a bit of red cayenne pepper, 2 tbs of chopped sage, salt,
and pepper. This carries the sage flavor profile all the way through the meal, which I am fond of.
However, we have also tried purchased chorizo, removed from the skin, and
cooked in the manner prescribed above. This gives the dish a definite spicy
boost and works in contrast to the sage in the turkey which can be equally
pleasant. Someday I want to try merguez sausage, the quite spicy lamb sausage
thought to originate in Morocco.

Wow....this sounds and looks good, even though challenging to make. I have never roasted a turkey before. Maybe this year I should try. I'm printing this out just in case I manage to gather enough courage to try :D Last year after Christmas, fresh whole turkey cost only £5 per bird!! That cheap huh. Hope I have some luck to get such cheap ones again. Thanks very much for sharing and hope u have a great week! MaryMoh at http://www.keeplearningkeepsmiling.com

MaryMoh, exactly. On top of that it is delicious. Finally, it is onee of those meals that typically yield several meals to come. Even if we use every scrap of meat from the bird for the main meal, the bones make a first class stock for use with several favorite soups. Because the turkey has a very slight smoky flavor compared to chicken, the spoups we like are on the hearty side and include bean and chorizo, celery, turkey dice, & rice, and albondigas. And honetly, it isn't all that hard. The steps are easy though it looks more daunting than it is. Happy Holidays!

Thank you Yummy, that is truly high praise. I meant to ask you a question the other day about your chicken with apples and creme à la Normande but was distracted by a call. Now my problem is I cannot recall what the question was. I do know that I was going to add a comment about my love of the lemon chicken that Quay Po makes and how the similar sweet & sour profile in your Normand chicken sounded good. Years ago when I lived in Chicago I had a young sous chef as a neighbor and he taught me how to make sauteed carrots and grapes. I remember how strange that sounded at the time and how surprised I was that it worked. On our table in Oklahoma, all of the sugar was saved for the end of the meal. He opened my eyes a bit. Damn I miss that city sometimes. Happy Holidays!

Genskie, I believe that you could do that with great reward. The key is whether you find the sage flavor to be tasty or not. In my experience the local palate tends to react either way rather decisively. It also took a while for my family to begin to appreciate the delight in "dressing". Good luck and Happy Holidays!

Hello there, Quay Lo! That was a very detailed but easy to follow instructions. I must say that it is quite a bit of work! I would not be surprised if most of us would prefer to surrender our aprons to you just like Quay Po :) I must confess that I have never eaten turkey before (sad isn't it?) and who knows I may try it some day. The dressing does sound very delicious. I suppose it could accompany roast chicken too, right?

Hi Phong, thank you for your note. I hope you are a believer in "better late than never" as I became entangled in last minute work related chores these past few days that needed to be done before the holidays arrived. Don't feel too bad about not having eaten turkey. In my own case there are lots of culinary experiences I haven't had yet. Your assumption that dressing (stuffing?) is suitable for chicken is absolutely correct. Any fowl can be dressed up with that savory dish as can pork or lamb. Of course there are almost as many variations of this classic home style dish that you can play with the recipe to your hearts content. For eample, the use of chicken stock that is typical could be modified to the broth from a winter melon soup with a happy result in my opinion.

Well well well now we know the man can cook! And a man who likes a moist but well basted breast! All jokes aside - a turkey takes quite a bit of love and attention that cannot be rushed and you have done us proud with a blow by blow account on how to achieve this. Bless you and have a Merry Christmas.

Hi Magnolia, many thanks for the kind words. I am not sure that I have "done us proud" but I regard it as a great success if I can just avoid embarrasing myself. My procrastination in responding has led me to Christmas Eve so I am as full of the "spirit" as possible, and am in the midst of the blow-by-blow process with one of the two turkeys we are preparing for tomorrow's feast. Both are luxuriating in their brine baths in large plastic food bags and in a cooler next to my desk. The cooking starts today in earnest. Wishing you a Very Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year!

I guess all of us who live overseas miss certain things from our respective homes. However, in this case, having prowled the bakeries, and markets of the streets in Amsterdam on several occasions, I know you have access to food that many Americans know nothing about. As an expat in Asia I focus on what is here that wasn't so accessible in the U.S. Of course, I enjoy introducing American food to locals as well. The resulting balance is certainly not a bad place to be. How about trying a goose instead of a turkey? Or baking two turkeys as we are doing this holiday? Whatever you choose we wish you and yours a very Merry Christmas and a Happy, Healthy, Prosperous New Year.

Hi, Quay Lo. I am rachel Lai from Kota Bharu, Kelantan. I'm a silent follower of Quay Po. I follow your steps of roasting turkey (about 6 kg). I am very happy with the out come. My sister-in-law, who is from Texas, US, was praising about the turkey. Thank you for sharing. Happy Boxing Day!!

Hi Rachel, Many thanks for the feedback. It is always good to hear how things went with the recipes. I am delighted that it worked for you. We prepared two turkeys for Christmas because of the size of the group we had coming to dinner, (We had a baked ham as well). All went perfect and the turkey was much applauded. We made the first one the day before and completely carved it as soon as it had rested long enough to cool down. We laid all the turkey meat out on a large platter and then used microwave-able plastic wrap to store the platter of turkey meat in the ice chest we were using for additional cold storage. The next day we put the platter of turkey in the microwave oven for two minutes on high. It was hot and delicious and let us get the dinner started while we carved the second turkey. Everyone ate too much which is like winning the gold star for home chefs like us. Happy Leftovers!

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A LITTLE ABOUT THIS QUAY PO

Before I was married to my "Quay Lo" (Guaylo) husband, I did not know how to bake or cook. Subsequently I learned some baking and cooking Western cuisine from him, and providing his food for him launched an interest in cooking in general. Many of my Chinese friends and family told me that "Quay" is the wrong spelling for devil in Cantonese. The right spelling should be "Kwai" or "Guay". Well, somehow I like the spelling "Quay" better although I have to agree that it does not sound very Cantonese. Try asking a Westerner to pronounce "Kwai" and you will probably hear "Quay" haha. Whether is "Quay" or "Kwai" or "Guay, just know the devil woman is me when you see Quay Po Cooks. My hubby said if people pronounce "Quay" as "Key" is even better because I am the key to his heart. LOL!

Only now, have I started to learn the traditional Cantonese cuisine of my Mum. She cooks fabulously and all her specialties are divine. These two interests, my husband's Western food, and my mother's traditional food, prompted me to document them so they will not be lost.

Here, I wish to share my cooking and baking experience with my readers. I also hope to inspire those who do not know how to cook or bake to do so because, trust me, if I can, you can too.

Something I'd like to mention is that I find that many people are rather unwilling to share their recipes. However, for me, I think differently. I think good recipes should be shared thus allowing as many people to enjoy it as possible. Unless those recipes are for doing business, I don't see why we want to keep them all to ourselves. So if you are generous in sharing your recipes, you are welcome to share on my blog. Send the recipes to me and better still with pictures of the final products and I will be very happy to post them them with credits to you of course.

Our cuisine is a deeply embedded part of our culture. When two cultures come together under the same roof the results in the kitchen can sometimes be comedic, sometimes confrontational, but more often it is a journey full of surprises and discovery. There is joy in our food. If we think upon this, it is intuitively obvious. This blog is a journey of joy and sharing, reflecting what the French like to call "joie de vivre" (joy of living). No one could be more different from one another then my husband and my mother. Yet one thing they share in common is knowing intuitively that food, cooking, and sharing can be avenues of joy in life itself. So herein, help yourself, to a little joy and , if you like it, share it with your own family and friends. Joy is something that should be shared.

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